Codestral vs Gemini 3 Flash
Detailed pricing comparison and cost analysis.
Updated September 2026
Cost Simulator
| Feature | Codestral | Gemini 3 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Mistral | |
| Input Price (1M) | $0.30 | $0.50 |
| Output Price (1M) | $0.90 | $3.00 |
| Context Window | 256,000 | 1,000,000 |
Verdict
Codestral costs $0.30 per 1M input tokens and $0.90 per 1M output tokens. Gemini 3 Flash costs $0.50 per 1M input tokens and $3.00 per 1M output tokens. Codestral is 40% cheaper on input tokens than Gemini 3 Flash. For output tokens, Codestral is the more affordable option at $0.90/1M vs $3.00.
On context window, Gemini 3 Flash supports 1,000,000 tokens — meaning it can fit more conversation history, documents, or code in a single request. This matters for RAG pipelines, long document analysis, and agentic workflows where context builds up over many turns.
When to choose Codestral
- ✓ You need the lowest input token cost ($ 0.30/1M)
- ✓ Your workload is output-heavy — Codestral generates text cheaper
- ✓ You are already integrated with Mistral
When to choose Gemini 3 Flash
- ✓ You need a larger context window (1,000,000 tokens)
- ✓ You are already integrated with Google
Use the calculator above to simulate your specific workload and find the exact break-even point. For most applications, the cheapest model is the one that minimises your total monthly bill given your input-to-output token ratio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Codestral cheaper than Gemini 3 Flash? ▼
Codestral is cheaper on input tokens at $0.30/1M vs $0.50/1M for Gemini 3 Flash — a 40% saving.
What is the context window of Codestral vs Gemini 3 Flash? ▼
Codestral has a 256,000-token context window. Gemini 3 Flash has a 1,000,000-token context window. Gemini 3 Flash supports the larger context, suitable for longer documents and agentic workflows.
Which model is better: Codestral or Gemini 3 Flash? ▼
The best choice depends on your use case. For cost efficiency on input tokens, Codestral is the cheaper option. For maximum context length, Gemini 3 Flash supports 1,000,000 tokens. Use the comparison table above to find the right fit for your workload.